Alopecia Areata - Vitiligo Overlap Syndrome: An Emerging Clinical Variant
January 2013
in “
Indian Journal of Dermatology Venereology and Leprology
”
TLDR Alopecia areata and vitiligo can coexist, respond well to treatment, and may have a better prognosis together.
A 42-year-old male presented with patchy hair loss and depigmentation on his scalp, diagnosed as coexisting alopecia areata and vitiligo. This case was notable for the strict anatomical colocalization of both conditions, which is rare and mostly reported in pediatric cases. The patient responded well to topical 0.1% mometasone furoate cream, showing complete regrowth and repigmentation of hair over 5 months. The study proposed the term "alopecia areata-vitiligo overlap syndrome" for such cases, suggesting a common autoimmune mechanism and genetic susceptibility. This variant may have a benign nature and better prognosis than when the conditions occur separately.